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Develop and grow skill mix through new roles: Anaesthesia Associates and Physician Associates

Anaesthesia Associates (AAs) and Physician Associates (PAs) have much to offer patients, theatre teams and wider surgical care pathways, and can help address wider workforce gaps, whilst offering an attractive NHS career to life science graduates.

Benefits include:

  • Attracting and retaining talent to the NHS workforce.
  • Consistency of staff. 
  • Efficiency and productivity. 
  • Releasing time to care for other members of the MDT.
  • Maintaining high standards of patient safety.
  • Forthcoming statutory professional regulation by the GMC. 

This toolkit from by the Royal College of Anaesthetists - www.rcoa.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/...g-PAA-2016.pdf">Planning, introduction, training of Physician Assistants (Anaesthesia) (2016) highlights benefits and practicalities for AAs : https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2020-02/Planning-introduction-training-PAA-2016.pdf

A spotlight series from the FPA highlights the role of PAs: https://www.fparcp.co.uk/about-fpa/news/spotlight-series-physician-associates-pas-in-surgical-specialties-general-surgery

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Gabrielle Law Apr 5, 2022

Thank you for adding your idea Naomi, this is a really interesting idea! I noticed you had an event on the 10th Feb do you have any documents that was shared there that people could look at?

Kate Pound Apr 5, 2022

This may be a useful article on doctor assistants.

Liz Maddocks-Brown Apr 6, 2022

Hi Naomi, good to be connected with you agsin..this sounds like a great toolkit and the spotlight briefing is very readable and accessible ! wikk be great to know how this goes

Anisah Majothi Apr 6, 2022

Hi Liz, here is an idea you may find interesting.

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John Drew Apr 13, 2022

I very much agree that these are crucial roles, and can add a huge amount which will also help to address shortages of consultant and trainee anaesthetists. These roles are different but sit very well alongside existing anaesthetic staff, and it seems clear from where they are already established that AAs can quickly become highly skilled at delivering specific anaesthetics (e.g., blocks for hand surgery) and can spend a much higher proportion of their time in theatres than their medical colleagues are typically able to.